Running in the city that doesn’t sleep

Running the New York marathon is on the bucket list of many runners.

Ballito resident Joanne Lin and Salt Rock residents Paul Swainson and his wife Sarah were amoung the local athletes who took in the magical experience of the New York Marathon last Sunday.

The largest marathon in the world, which attracts athletes from around the globe, courses through the five boroughs of New York City and lets the runners experience a wide range of New York City neighborhoods.

The marathon route takes runners past world-famous landmarks such as the Empire State Building, the Statue of Liberty, Ellis Island, and One World Trade Center.

According to the runners the loudest section of the marathon is along 1st Avenue in Manhattan.

From the bridge, you can hear a wall of sound created by thousands of spectators who gather in Manhattan to cheer you on to the finish at Central Park, perhaps the most famous urban park in the world which is lined with hundreds of flags line along the final stretch, a reminder of what a global event the New York City Marathon has become.

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Paul Swainson, who ran the marathon with his wife Sarah for the first time, said the experience was hard to put into words.

“Imagine 42km’s of band after band and cheering non-stop five to 10 people deep. I think I gave more high fives in Brooklyn than I have done my whole life, the fans are more excited than you are. I stopped about 20 times for photos and videos and I was nearly crying in some places – it was so emotional. It was definitely a once in a lifetime experience that we will never forget,” said Swainson.

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